When it comes to interacting with Uber, its drivers have only two options: email support or physically go into the nearest office. Neither of which is easy for someone who spends all day driving to wherever their next passenger wants to go. If, say, there is a problem with the fare Uber calculated, how does a driver know — much less quickly report it to Uber?

Now, drivers have a fast, efficient means to rectify a fare discrepancy. SquaredFare, an app created by president of the California App-Based Drivers Association Joseph DeWolf, works alongside and yet independently of the Uber app to keep track of all your fares in order to ensure they are accurate. (This app, DeWolf told BuzzFeed News, is not affiliated with CADA.)

"Another thing the app does is it allows the driver to report rider issues in a very efficient way," DeWolf told BuzzFeed News. "If there was an unsupervised child in the car, drivers can immediately send Uber a pre-scripted email explaining exactly what's happening. Drivers don't have a lot of time to stop their cars and type out emails so we have tried to make it as simple as possible to report fare issues and rider issues and get back on the road."

And even if there is nothing to report, SquaredFare keeps a record of all of a driver's rides and fares in case a driver's account is deactivated or deleted for any reason. The logistics of the app is much like that of Uber: A driver will start and stop the trip and the GPS-activated algorithm will input the time, distance, and local base fare and any applicable surge pricing into Uber's formula to determine how much that trip costs. SquaredFare, however, is not integrated with Uber's open API, which prevents the app from starting and stopping a trip automatically when the driver does so in the Uber app. In other words drivers have to start and stop the trips in SquaredFare themselves. But DeWolf said there was good reason for that choice.

"We did not use their API because number one we didn't want them to access what we're doing," DeWolf said. "It's just a trust issue, but also if we were using their API any network error that was happening in the Uber app would happen to us too. Our calculation would be shorted if Uber's was."

Though DeWolf initially feared a backlash from Uber he provided emails to BuzzFeed News showing that Uber's customer service has responded well to the pre-scripted requests to change a fare. After listing the pick up and drop off locations the pre-scripted email reads:

Please be advised that Uber undercharged the rider.

My calculation shows my mileage at 4.43 Miles, and the trip duration was hours:0, mins:13, secs:55. The fare breakdown was a base fare of $5.00. Mile charges were $10.41. Time charges were $5.57. Toll charges were $5.00. The safe rides fee was $1.00. The surge was 1.00 x.

According to my calculation, that the fare should have been $26.98. The Uber fare was shown on my phone was $26.39.

And after requesting some more information, Uber responded:

Happy to adjust this trip for you, Mohsen.

The fare has been adjusted to the correct amount of $26.98 to reflect the pickup and drop-off locations you provided.

Please continue to let us know about any trips that may need adjustment within 48 hours so that we may charge the rider and adjust appropriately.

As of right now, SquaredFare is only available in Los Angeles and San Francisco and cannot be used to report Lyft fare discrepancies. It is free to download and use for now, but DeWolf says all that will change as the company grows. "When we come up with the second version that we're already working on we'll ask for a subscription from the drivers," he said. "Some of our drivers are saving up to $70 a month on just fare adjustments and they have said to us for this particular service they'd be willing to pay up to $10 a month for this."

As for why DeWolf and his team chose not to build an app that reports discrepancies to Lyft, he said: "The vast majority of the complaints were regarding the Uber network and we saw fewer complaints about Lyft. We decided that there was a definite need for Uber riders but not so much for Lyft drivers. But certainly if they reach out to us we can build one for Lyft."

A pre-scripted email an Uber driver sent through SquaredFare

BuzzFeed News

Uber's response:

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/a-new-app-lets-uber-drivers-report-fare-discrepanciesFri, 31 Jul 2015 09:01:05 -0400SquaredFare, an app independent of Uber, keeps track of rides to make sure Uber pays drivers the right amount.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultWhen it comes to interacting with Uber, its drivers have only two options: email support or physically go into the nearest office. Neither of which is easy for someone who spends all day driving to wherever their next passenger wants to go. If, say, there is a problem with the fare Uber calculated, how does a driver know — much less quickly report it to Uber?
Now, drivers have a fast, efficient means to rectify a fare discrepancy. <a href="http://www.squaredfare.com">SquaredFare</a>, an app created by president of the California App-Based Drivers Association Joseph DeWolf, works alongside and yet independently of the Uber app to keep track of all your fares in order to ensure they are accurate. (This app, DeWolf told BuzzFeed News, is not affiliated with CADA.)
"Another thing the app does is it allows the driver to report rider issues in a very efficient way," DeWolf told BuzzFeed News. "If there was an unsupervised child in the car, drivers can immediately send Uber a pre-scripted email explaining exactly what's happening. Drivers don't have a lot of time to stop their cars and type out emails so we have tried to make it as simple as possible to report fare issues and rider issues and get back on the road."
And even if there is nothing to report, SquaredFare keeps a record of all of a driver's rides and fares in case a driver's account is deactivated or deleted for any reason. The logistics of the app is much like that of Uber: A driver will start and stop the trip and the GPS-activated algorithm will input the time, distance, and local base fare and any applicable surge pricing into Uber's formula to determine how much that trip costs. SquaredFare, however, is not integrated with Uber's open API, which prevents the app from starting and stopping a trip automatically when the driver does so in the Uber app. In other words drivers have to start and stop the trips in SquaredFare themselves. But DeWolf said there was good reason for that choice.
"We did not use their API because number one we didn't want them to access what we're doing," DeWolf said. "It's just a trust issue, but also if we were using their API any network error that was happening in the Uber app would happen to us too. Our calculation would be shorted if Uber's was."
Though DeWolf initially feared a backlash from Uber he provided emails to BuzzFeed News showing that Uber's customer service has responded well to the pre-scripted requests to change a fare. After listing the pick up and drop off locations the pre-scripted email reads:
<blockquote>Please be advised that Uber undercharged the rider.
My calculation shows my mileage at 4.43 Miles, and the trip duration was hours:0, mins:13, secs:55. The fare breakdown was a base fare of $5.00. Mile charges were $10.41. Time charges were $5.57. Toll charges were $5.00. The safe rides fee was $1.00. The surge was 1.00 x.
According to my calculation, that the fare should have been $26.98. The Uber fare was shown on my phone was $26.39.</blockquote>
And after requesting some more information, Uber responded:
<blockquote>Happy to adjust this trip for you, Mohsen.
The fare has been adjusted to the correct amount of $26.98 to reflect the pickup and drop-off locations you provided.
Please continue to let us know about any trips that may need adjustment within 48 hours so that we may charge the rider and adjust appropriately.</blockquote>
As of right now, SquaredFare is only available in Los Angeles and San Francisco and cannot be used to report Lyft fare discrepancies. It is free to download and use for now, but DeWolf says all that will change as the company grows. "When we come up with the second version that we're already working on we'll ask for a subscription from the drivers," he said. "Some of our drivers are saving up to $70 a month on just fare adjustments and they have said to us for this particular service they'd be willing to pay up to $10 a month for this."
As for why DeWolf and his team chose not to build an app that reports discrepancies to Lyft, he said: "The vast majority of the complaints were regarding the Uber network and we saw fewer complaints about Lyft. We decided that there was a definite need for Uber riders but not so much for Lyft drivers. But certainly if they reach out to us we can build one for Lyft."nonadultnonadultnonadultUber Drivers In Mexico City Attacked With Sticks, Stones, Eggs, And Flourhttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-drivers-in-mexico-city-attacked-with-stick-stones-eggs?utm_term=4ldqpia
The attack took place yesterday near the International Airport of Mexico City. Local authorities are investigating the incident.

KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / Getty Images

Uber drivers waiting for ride requests near the International Airport of Mexico City were pelted with rocks, sticks, eggs, and flour yesterday afternoon. Though, fortunately, only one driver suffered a minor injury during the attack eight of the reported 10 cars saw substantial damage. BuzzFeed News has learned the company will be covering the damages the drivers incurred on their vehicles.

The Mexico City Attorney General's office has launched an investigation to determine who was behind the attack. While Uber drivers in places like France, where the company's low-cost service has been banned, have also suffered similar attacks, there's no evidence of whether this was an organized incident.

And unlike in France, all of the company's services are fully regulated in Mexico City, which became the first Latin American city to do so earlier this month.

Uber issued a statement condemning the individuals behind the attack: "The individuals who committed these acts of vandalism decided to take the path of violence [and it is an] absolutely unjustifiable act," the company wrote in a Spanish language statement. "What happened is a serious attack on freedom and the right of all to make a living with dignity. All Mexicans have the right to freely decide how we move around our city. In Uber we work just to offer safer and more reliable mobility options for citizens. Events like this are completely unacceptable and we hope that the authorities will act for justice."

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-drivers-in-mexico-city-attacked-with-stick-stones-eggsWed, 29 Jul 2015 20:15:58 -0400The attack took place yesterday near the International Airport of Mexico City. Local authorities are investigating the incident.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber drivers waiting for ride requests near the International Airport of Mexico City were pelted with rocks, sticks, eggs, and flour yesterday afternoon. Though, fortunately, only one driver suffered a minor injury during the attack eight of the reported 10 cars saw substantial damage. BuzzFeed News has learned the company will be covering the damages the drivers incurred on their vehicles.
The Mexico City Attorney General's office has launched an investigation to determine who was behind the attack. While Uber drivers in places like France, where the company's low-cost service has been banned, have also suffered similar attacks, there's no evidence of whether this was an organized incident.
And unlike in France, all of the company's services are fully regulated in Mexico City, which became the first Latin American city to do so earlier this month.nonadultnonadultUber <a href="https://newsroom.uber.com/mexico-city/es/2015/07/la-violencia-es-injustificable/">issued a statement</a> condemning the individuals behind the attack: "The individuals who committed these acts of vandalism decided to take the path of violence [and it is an] absolutely unjustifiable act," the company wrote in a Spanish language statement. "What happened is a serious attack on freedom and the right of all to make a living with dignity. All Mexicans have the right to freely decide how we move around our city. In Uber we work just to offer safer and more reliable mobility options for citizens. Events like this are completely unacceptable and we hope that the authorities will act for justice."
Images and video footage of the attack can be seen <a href="http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2015/07/28/vecinos-y-taxistas-del-penon-de-los-banos-destrozan-vehiculos-de-uber-y-cabify-9864.html">here</a>.nonadultnonadultThe story was updated to include confirmation that Uber will be covering the vehicles' damages.nonadultTesla Wants You To Tell Your Rich Friends About Your Fancy Carhttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/tesla-your-friends?utm_term=4ldqpia
Tesla is asking existing owners to refer their friends in exchange for $1,000 toward their next Tesla purchase.

Scott Olson / Getty Images

Do you own a Tesla? Do you also have friends who can afford to own a Tesla? Do you have five to ten friends who can afford to own a Tesla? If you answered yes to at least the first two questions, Tesla has an opportunity for you.

Today, Tesla is launching what is perhaps the most high-stakes referral program in recent history to determine whether the company can depend more on word-of-mouth sales than physical stores. To initiate the 90-day experiment, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is asking existing customers to refer the Model S to their friends in exchange for $1,000 toward their next Tesla purchase. Their friends, in turn, will get $1,000 off their current purchase. And if an existing Model S or Roadster owner successfully refers five friends, they have won the proverbial golden ticket — a trip to the chocolate factory.

"If five of your friends order a Model S, you and a guest will receive an invitation to tour the Gigafactory in Nevada – the world's biggest factory by footprint – and attend the grand opening party," the email to current customers reads.

While this may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the actual price of the Model S, which can range from $70,000 to more than $100,000, it's potentially a way to leverage the tight-knit community of owners the company has been able to cultivate into less costly infrastructure for the company.

Though the program is temporary, Musk hopes it will shed light on how much of its resources Tesla has to invest in opening brick-and-mortar stores. The idea is that the more effective word of mouth is, the fewer stores Tesla has to open.

"We're just going to try it out," Musk said during a press call. "If it works out well long- term we'll keep going; otherwise we'll say that was an interesting experiment and move on."

If the experiment is effective and word-of-mouth sales are amplified, it could be great for the automaker, which has notably avoided marketing or advertising its cars and is also facing local regulations in several states that prohibit Tesla representatives from selling vehicles directly in those jurisdictions.

"This is a way for us to sort of have a guerrilla battle with the car dealer association," Musk said during the call. "Tesla representatives are not allowed to sell in certain states so customers who are not salespeople can refer their friends there."

Additionally, Musk said, the experiment's success could also mean that the company applies the same discounts on used Model S sales, but he emphasized that the primary objective is to determine how many stores the company needs to open.

"I do want to be clear we don't have any plans to close down stores and we'll still keep opening stores. It's just about how many future stores we'll open," he said.

As for advertising down the road, Musk says it's a possibility, "but we also need to have a mass market car in order to do mass media advertising. When we do the advertising years down the road, we want to make sure it's entertaining and interesting and has some artistic elements. If you're a reader and you see the ad, you shouldn't regret your time."

Here's the email Elon Musk is sending to customers:

BuzzFeed News

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/tesla-your-friendsWed, 29 Jul 2015 16:34:54 -0400Tesla is asking existing owners to refer their friends in exchange for $1,000 toward their next Tesla purchase.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultDo you own a Tesla? Do you also have friends who can afford to own a Tesla? Do you have five to ten friends who can afford to own a Tesla? If you answered yes to at least the first two questions, Tesla has an opportunity for you.
Today, Tesla is launching what is perhaps the most high-stakes referral program in recent history to determine whether the company can depend more on word-of-mouth sales than physical stores. To initiate the 90-day experiment, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is asking existing customers to refer the Model S to their friends in exchange for $1,000 toward their next Tesla purchase. Their friends, in turn, will get $1,000 off their current purchase. And if an existing Model S or Roadster owner successfully refers five friends, they have won the proverbial golden ticket — a trip to the chocolate factory.
"If five of your friends order a Model S, you and a guest will receive an invitation to tour the Gigafactory in Nevada – the world's biggest factory by footprint – and attend the grand opening party," the email to current customers reads.
While this may seem like a drop in the bucket compared to the actual price of the Model S, which can range from $70,000 to more than $100,000, it's potentially a way to leverage the tight-knit community of owners the company has been able to cultivate into less costly infrastructure for the company.
Though the program is temporary, Musk hopes it will shed light on how much of its resources Tesla has to invest in opening brick-and-mortar stores. The idea is that the more effective word of mouth is, the fewer stores Tesla has to open.
"We're just going to try it out," Musk said during a press call. "If it works out well long- term we'll keep going; otherwise we'll say that was an interesting experiment and move on."
If the experiment is effective and word-of-mouth sales are amplified, it could be great for the automaker, which has notably avoided marketing or advertising its cars and is also facing local regulations in several states that prohibit Tesla representatives from selling vehicles directly in those jurisdictions.
"This is a way for us to sort of have a guerrilla battle with the car dealer association," Musk said during the call. "Tesla representatives are not allowed to sell in certain states so customers who are not salespeople can refer their friends there."
Additionally, Musk said, the experiment's success could also mean that the company applies the same discounts on used Model S sales, but he emphasized that the primary objective is to determine how many stores the company needs to open.
"I do want to be clear we don't have any plans to close down stores and we'll still keep opening stores. It's just about how many future stores we'll open," he said.
As for advertising down the road, Musk says it's a possibility, "but we also need to have a mass market car in order to do mass media advertising. When we do the advertising years down the road, we want to make sure it's entertaining and interesting and has some artistic elements. If you're a reader and you see the ad, you shouldn't regret your time."nonadultnonadultLyft Feared Uber Monopoly In New York Cityhttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/lyft-feared-uber-monopoly-if-the-de-blasio-cap-on-growth-was?utm_term=4ldqpia
The cap would “freeze the market in its current place.”

Uber isn't the only one rejoicing over Mayor Bill de Blasio's reversal on the cap on for-hire vehicles in New York.

"This is good news for consumers and drivers, and we thank the City Council for listening to our concerns about removing carpooling options, which we see as part of the solution to traffic congestion," Lyft's head of public policy David Mack said in a statement. "We will continue working together with the City Council and the TLC to build a more sustainable future for New York."

While de Blasio's about-face followed discussions between his administration and Uber, Lyft was equally troubled by the proposed cap. Just two hours prior to the announcement of de Blasio's decision today, Lyft was arguing that the cap would solidify Uber's dominance of the New York market. Were it to be imposed, the cap — which is based on both the number of company bases in New York City and the drivers affiliated with them — would limit Uber to adding around 200 drivers during the next year. But it would only allow six more drivers to register with Lyft's sole base in the city. Lyft says that would essentially freeze its growth and give Uber a chance to claim an even larger portion of the for-hire market in New York City than it controls already.

"The current Council proposal limits growth for all players to such small percentages of their current size that it would prevent any material shift in the proportionate market share of each company," Lyft's public policy manager, Diana Dellamere, wrote in a testimony submitted to the city council transportation committee. "It freezes the market in its current place."

Uber is well-known for its driver incentive programs like referral bonuses or pay guarantees, and its younger, ride-hail competitor Lyft is afraid a freeze on growth would force the company to invest its bevy of resources and funding in luring drivers away from other companies.

"One company — Uber — will be handed a government created monopoly of the for hire vehicle industry in the City," Lyft wrote in a follow-up letter to the city council. "Uber currently holds 90 percent of market share, and capping all industry growth will force Uber to pursue the remaining 10 percent as passenger demand grows."

Under de Blasio's new proposal, if — after a four-month traffic study — the city decides companies like Uber and Lyft are in fact contributing to congestion, it can impose a long-term or even permanent cap. That means Lyft, which has managed to grab about 7% of the ride-hail market in New York, may still have to worry about Uber's monopoly being cemented by city regulation.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/lyft-feared-uber-monopoly-if-the-de-blasio-cap-on-growth-wasWed, 22 Jul 2015 19:03:57 -0400The cap would "freeze the market in its current place."johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber isn't the only one rejoicing over Mayor Bill de Blasio's reversal on the cap on for-hire vehicles in New York.
"This is good news for consumers and drivers, and we thank the City Council for listening to our concerns about removing carpooling options, which we see as part of the solution to traffic congestion," Lyft's head of public policy David Mack said in a statement. "We will continue working together with the City Council and the TLC to build a more sustainable future for New York."
While de Blasio's about-face followed <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/de-blasio-backs-off#.lb566gOxm">discussions between his administration and Uber</a>, Lyft was equally troubled by the proposed cap. Just two hours prior to the announcement of de Blasio's decision today, Lyft was arguing that the cap would solidify Uber's dominance of the New York market. Were it to be imposed, the cap — which is based on both the number of company bases in New York City and the drivers affiliated with them — would limit Uber to adding around 200 drivers during the next year. But it would only allow six more drivers to register with Lyft's sole base in the city. Lyft says that would essentially freeze its growth and give Uber a chance to claim an even larger portion of the for-hire market in New York City than it controls already.
"The current Council proposal limits growth for all players to such small percentages of their current size that it would prevent any material shift in the proportionate market share of each company," Lyft's public policy manager, Diana Dellamere, wrote in a testimony submitted to the city council transportation committee. "It freezes the market in its current place."
Uber is well-known for its driver incentive programs like referral bonuses or pay guarantees, and its younger, ride-hail competitor Lyft is afraid a freeze on growth would force the company to invest its bevy of resources and funding in luring drivers away from other companies.
"One company — Uber — will be handed a government created monopoly of the for hire vehicle industry in the City," Lyft wrote in a follow-up letter to the city council. "Uber currently holds 90 percent of market share, and capping all industry growth will force Uber to pursue the remaining 10 percent as passenger demand grows."
Under de Blasio's new proposal, if — after a four-month traffic study — the city decides companies like Uber and Lyft are in fact contributing to congestion, it can impose a long-term or even permanent cap. That means Lyft, which has managed to grab about 7% of the ride-hail market in New York, may still have to worry about Uber's monopoly being cemented by city regulation.nonadultUber Drives Down New York City Mayor Bill De Blasiohttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/de-blasio-backs-off?utm_term=4ldqpia
The mayor has agreed not to impose a nine-month cap on growth of for-hire vehicles and will instead conduct a four-month traffic study. The city still reserves the right to instate a cap on growth if the results of the study deems it necessary.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

The Bill de Blasio administration has agreed not to impose a proposed cap on the growth of for-hire vehicle companies like Uber and Lyft, the New York Times first reported and BuzzFeed News has confirmed. The cap was originally proposed as a temporary measure while the city examines the impact of companies such as Uber and Lyft on congestion. Instead, according to the Times report, the city will allow ride-hail companies to operate while it conducts a four-month traffic study.

"Specifically, the City will move forward with a traffic study, to conclude at the end of November, to examine the impact of Uber and the for-hire vehicle industry on traffic congestion on New York City streets," Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris wrote in a statement. "Uber will share information for the study above and beyond what has previously been provided, with safeguards to protect privacy."

The announcement comes just a day before the New York City Council was expected to vote on the proposed freeze on growth, and weeks into heated opposition campaign from Uber that included advertisements, a social media push, and splashy in-app anti–de Blasio messaging.

Josh Mohrer, Uber's New York general manager, also confirmed the agreement in a statement and said: "We're pleased to have reached an agreement with Mayor de Blasio's administration and the City Council to collaborate on a joint transportation study and to work together on ways to continue expanding economic opportunity, mobility and transportation access in the city. We are pleased new drivers will continue to be free to join the for-hire industry and partner with Uber. Together, we can build an even better, more reliable transportation system. This is great news for all New Yorkers, including Uber riders and drivers."

A source familiar with the matter told BuzzFeed News that the agreement is similar to one the city offered Uber last week. The company rejected the terms of that initial agreement because a cap was still on the table but asked the city for a meeting last night. Under the agreement, the city reserves the right to impose a cap on growth if the four-month study it conducts deems it necessary. Uber, in turn, will have to ensure the rate of growth over the next few months remains consistent with the last few, provide more data to the city on trip records and vehicle activity, and set up a joint process with the city to determine rules that regulate contributions to the MTA, access to people with disabilities, and workers' rights. This joint process will also encompass the taxi sector of the industry, according to the source.

As a result of the new agreement, Uber will be pulling the many anti–de Blasio online and TV ads as well as its less-than-affectionate in-app de Blasio feature.

Neither Uber nor Lyft have opposed the idea of a study in general — and in fact Lyft representatives have said the company supports such a study, as long as it is neutrally engineered and considers all sources of congestion in the city. Such a study could serve to prove the ride-hail industry's long-held argument that its products help the environment and traffic by maximizing efficiency, making car ownership less necessary, and encouraging carpooling.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/de-blasio-backs-offWed, 22 Jul 2015 16:44:02 -0400The mayor has agreed not to impose a nine-month cap on growth of for-hire vehicles and will instead conduct a four-month traffic study. The city still reserves the right to instate a cap on growth if the results of the study deems it necessary.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultThe Bill de Blasio administration has agreed not to impose a proposed cap on the growth of for-hire vehicle companies like Uber and Lyft, the <i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/23/nyregion/de-blasio-administration-dropping-plan-for-uber-cap-for-now.html?smid=tw-nytmetro&amp;_r=0">New York Times</a></i> first reported and BuzzFeed News has confirmed. The cap <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/a-new-for-hire-vehicle-cap-in-new-york-could-devastate-uber#.id8woJg04">was originally proposed</a> as a temporary measure while the city examines the impact of companies such as Uber and Lyft on congestion. Instead, according to the <i>Times</i> report, the city will allow ride-hail companies to operate while it conducts a four-month traffic study.
"Specifically, the City will move forward with a traffic study, to conclude at the end of November, to examine the impact of Uber and the for-hire vehicle industry on traffic congestion on New York City streets," Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris wrote in a statement. "Uber will share information for the study above and beyond what has previously been provided, with safeguards to protect privacy."
The announcement comes just a day before the New York City Council was expected to vote on the proposed freeze on growth, and weeks into heated opposition campaign from Uber that included advertisements, a social media push, and splashy <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-de-blasio-option-urgers-new-yorkers-to-fight-proposed#.vyxE8kBAq">in-app anti–de Blasio messaging</a>.
Josh Mohrer, Uber's New York general manager, also confirmed the agreement in a statement and said: "We're pleased to have reached an agreement with Mayor de Blasio's administration and the City Council to collaborate on a joint transportation study and to work together on ways to continue expanding economic opportunity, mobility and transportation access in the city. We are pleased new drivers will continue to be free to join the for-hire industry and partner with Uber. Together, we can build an even better, more reliable transportation system. This is great news for all New Yorkers, including Uber riders and drivers."
A source familiar with the matter told BuzzFeed News that the agreement is similar to one the city offered Uber last week. The company rejected the terms of that initial agreement because a cap was still on the table but asked the city for a meeting last night. Under the agreement, the city reserves the right to impose a cap on growth if the four-month study it conducts deems it necessary. Uber, in turn, will have to ensure the rate of growth over the next few months remains consistent with the last few, provide more data to the city on trip records and vehicle activity, and set up a joint process with the city to determine rules that regulate contributions to the MTA, access to people with disabilities, and workers' rights. This joint process will also encompass the taxi sector of the industry, according to the source.
As a result of the new agreement, Uber will be pulling the many anti–de Blasio online and TV ads as well as its less-than-affectionate in-app de Blasio <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-de-blasio-option-urgers-new-yorkers-to-fight-proposed#.gwmmmZjKA">feature.</a>
Neither Uber nor Lyft have opposed the idea of a study in general — and in fact Lyft representatives have said the company supports such a study, as long as it is neutrally engineered and considers all sources of congestion in the city. Such a study could serve to prove the ride-hail industry's long-held argument that its products help the environment and traffic by maximizing efficiency, making car ownership less necessary, and encouraging carpooling.
We will update as we learn more.nonadultUpdated with comment from Uber and additional details.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultHow I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love A Yacht-Sharing Startuphttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/im-on-a-boat?utm_term=4ldqpia
Two hours on the high seas with the “Airbnb for boats.”

BuzzFeed News

I grew up in Queens, where my family's summer recreational activities included playing basketball in the church parking lot down the street from our apartment, taking a not-so-quick train ride into the city to go to the Museum of Natural History, and the occasional trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania. My family and I rarely went to the beach. As a Muslim girl in an era before the Burqini, I had few comfortable swimwear options short of wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt in the water. My parents, both of whom grew up either swimming in the ocean just down the street in the Philippines or the family lake in Bangladesh, were cut off from what was an integral part of their upbringing.

And boating? We had no real idea of how to go about renting a boat — this was during the time of dial-up internet and very slow desktop computers — much less whether we'd be able to afford it. Boating was, and still is, a luxury recreational activity, one that often requires either "knowing a guy," owning your own boat, or knowing where to look. Boating was for people who owned seersucker and used the word "summer" as a verb. It was for Kennedys, not Bhuiyans.

Which is partly why I initially scoffed at the boat-sharing startup Boatbound — at the tech-buzzword-y tagline "Airbnb for boats," at the deeply First World problem it was attempting to solve. Boatbound looked, to me, like yet another product of a bubbly cottage industry in which anything can be "shared" (for a hefty fee), no matter how niche or ridiculous. It wasn't exactly BlackJet, which proudly markets itself as "Uber for private jets," but it didn't feel entirely far off from it, either.

BuzzFeed News

But to hear Boatbound tell it, the company has a rational — maybe even admirable — aim: to give people who wouldn't otherwise have access to boats a simple way to rent one, in exchange for a relatively reasonable fee. And as it turns out, the boating industry is, for lack of a much better turn of phrase, ripe for disruption.

Aaron Hall created Boatbound in 2012 while vacationing on Texas's Gulf Coast. Hall and his family wanted to rent a boat for the day and saw there was limited available inventory at the marina and yet so many boats just sitting in the docks not being used. After partnering with Boat U.S., which pegs itself as the largest boating association in the country, and surveying "thousands of boat owners," Hall and his staff found that the average boat owner uses their boat only 14 days out of the year, even though the boat owners nationwide spend about $10 billion a year on storage and maintenance.

Boatbound, then, is an efficiency-maximizing effort in the classic two-birds, one-stone manner of Airbnb, Getaround, and other sharing-economy companies: It's a one-stop shop for potential boat renters, but it also allows boat owners to offset associated ownership costs.

"We have an owner, Eric, in San Francisco, who always wanted to own a boat but couldn't quite afford it," Hall told me in an email. "After he heard about Boatbound, he made the decision to buy, knowing he could completely offset the costs with just a couple rentals a month. Now his boat is actually making him money."

Much like Airbnb, Boatbound allows owners to set their own prices, while they gather data about what rates work best for both owners and renters. If the boat is not rented at a certain price point, Boatbound will suggest a different. In New York, day rates run from $350 for a six-passenger, 19-foot Bayliner, all the way up to $7,000 for a 97-foot luxury yacht that fits 12 people. Boatbound charges a 5% transaction fee to boat owners who provide their own insurance, and 35% to those who opt in to the company's $3 million rental insurance.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/im-on-a-boatWed, 22 Jul 2015 09:01:08 -0400Two hours on the high seas with the "Airbnb for boats."johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultI grew up in Queens, where my family's summer recreational activities included playing basketball in the church parking lot down the street from our apartment, taking a not-so-quick train ride into the city to go to the Museum of Natural History, and the occasional trip to the Poconos in Pennsylvania. My family and I rarely went to the beach. As a Muslim girl in an era before the <a href="http://burqini.com/">Burqini</a>, I had few comfortable swimwear options short of wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt in the water. My parents, both of whom grew up either swimming in the ocean just down the street in the Philippines or the family lake in Bangladesh, were cut off from what was an integral part of their upbringing.
And boating? We had no real idea of how to go about renting a boat — this was during the time of dial-up internet and very slow desktop computers — much less whether we'd be able to afford it. Boating was, and still is, a luxury recreational activity, one that often requires either "knowing a guy," owning your own boat, or knowing where to look. Boating was for people who owned seersucker and used the word "summer" as a verb. It was for Kennedys, not Bhuiyans.
Which is partly why I initially scoffed at the boat-sharing startup <a href="https://boatbound.co/">Boatbound</a> — at the tech-buzzword-y tagline "Airbnb for boats," at the deeply First World problem it was attempting to solve. Boatbound looked, to me, like yet another product of a bubbly cottage industry in which anything can be "shared" (for a hefty fee), no matter how niche or ridiculous. It wasn't exactly <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.com%2Fcapital%2Fstory%2F20150701-private-jets-uber-style&amp;sa=D&amp;sntz=1&amp;usg=AFQjCNH7dtULgjyYT9-L6uANzrmSeBWSFA">BlackJet</a>, which proudly markets itself as "Uber for private jets," but it didn't feel entirely far off from it, either.nonadultnonadultBut to hear Boatbound tell it, the company has a rational — maybe even admirable — aim: to give people who wouldn't otherwise have access to boats a simple way to rent one, in exchange for a relatively reasonable fee. And as it turns out, the boating industry is, for lack of a much better turn of phrase, ripe for disruption.
Aaron Hall created Boatbound in 2012 while vacationing on Texas's Gulf Coast. Hall and his family wanted to rent a boat for the day and saw there was limited available inventory at the marina and yet so many boats just sitting in the docks not being used. After partnering with Boat U.S., which pegs itself as the largest boating association in the country, and surveying "thousands of boat owners," Hall and his staff found that the average boat owner uses their boat only 14 days out of the year, even though the boat owners nationwide spend about $10 billion a year on storage and maintenance.
Boatbound, then, is an efficiency-maximizing effort in the classic two-birds, one-stone manner of Airbnb, Getaround, and other sharing-economy companies: It's a one-stop shop for potential boat renters, but it also allows boat owners to offset associated ownership costs.
"We have an owner, Eric, in San Francisco, who always wanted to own a boat but couldn't quite afford it," Hall told me in an email. "After he heard about Boatbound, he made the decision to buy, knowing he could completely offset the costs with just a couple rentals a month. Now his boat is actually making him money."
Much like Airbnb, Boatbound allows owners to set their own prices, while they gather data about what rates work best for both owners and renters. If the boat is not rented at a certain price point, Boatbound will suggest a different. In New York, day rates run from $350 for a six-passenger, 19-foot Bayliner, all the way up to $7,000 for a 97-foot luxury yacht that fits 12 people. Boatbound charges a 5% transaction fee to boat owners who provide their own insurance, and 35% to those who opt in to the company's $3 million rental insurance.nonadultView from the back of the boatnonadultThese days, Boatbound has more than 13 million registered boats. Right now, the company is focused on growing in the U.S., building awareness in markets that already have local boating communities: San Francisco, Seattle, D.C., New York, and Chicago. But unlike, say, Airbnb, which is unencumbered by geography or climate, Boatbound needs to find a way to survive the winter, when its markets either slow considerably or shut down entirely.
So Boatbound has to expand, fast. Supply won't be much of a problem, because boating is an inherently social pastime with a strong community built around it — a community that makes word-of-mouth Boatbound's primary marketing tactic among would-be renters. "When we launch markets we get owners together and host local events, where we allow them to invite their other boat owner friends as well," Hall wrote in an email to BuzzFeed News. "Once the initial supply of 10-30 boats is built, we launch with on water events, parties, or meetups where we invite renters, have some fun, and continue to build awareness locally."nonadultnonadultBut if that clubbiness is a boon for Boatbound's supply side, it's an obstacle for the company as it attempts to gain new users. Before I got an email pitch for Boatbound, I had never heard of it, and I'm not the only person out there to whom boating never exactly occurred as a standard summer activity. Though it's the first suggestion when googling "boat rentals," you still need to be actively looking to rent a boat.
According to Hall, Boatbound is "beginning to open up the international markets" as part of an effort to grow — though right now the company is just in an inventory-building phase, and boats will not be rentable outside the U.S. until 2016 or later. The company has a ways to go if it wants to make renting a yacht as natural as booking an Airbnb or hailing an UberX, but Boatbound's staff are, perhaps unsurprisingly, optimistic. "The best thing about Boatbound, and the sharing economy," Morgan told BuzzFeed News, "is your imagination is the only limit to where it could go."nonadultMy colleague Alex Kantrowitz steering the boat. If you look closely you'll see a very scared tech reporter trying to interview someone while holding on for dear life behind him.nonadultSo, on a Wednesday whose forecast called for thunder and lightning but ended up being sunny with just the right touch of wind, a colleague and I decided to take Boatbound up on its offer to give the service a try. We met the company's head of marketing, Phil Mills; director of business development, Chris Oetting; and boat owner and 14-month Boatbound user Robert at Pier 25 on the Hudson River. Boatbound allows would-be boaters ages 25 and up to rent with or without a captain, anyone 18 and up can still rent a boat but not without a captain on board. In our case, Capt. Robert was, fortunately, there to help us navigate the choppy Hudson River waters. Once aboard his <a href="https://boatbound.co/boats/rcngl">37-foot yacht,</a> he took us around the Statue of Liberty, past Battery Park and the World Trade Center.
It was nice. If you've never been on a yacht, it's something you should experience at least once. A warm summer breeze that was uncharacteristically free of cigarette smoke, car exhaust, and subway stench, flowed through my headscarf, whipping the loose end around. In spite of my attempts to hide under the navy blue awning pulled over the top of the deck, the sun beat down on my face. Capt. Robert warned over and over that we would be hit with waves that came off the ferries carrying tourists to the Statue of Liberty. "Don't be afraid to hold on," he yelled. Not being one to ignore advice from a seasoned captain — particularly given my lack of experience — I held on to Capt. Robert's white leather seat for dear life the entirety of the ride. Every time we hit a wave, my gut felt like it was turning into itself, the same feeling you get when you drive quickly over a short, steep hill. Yachting for the first time was exhilarating in the same way that learning how to ride a bike for the first time was exhilarating. I would have loved this as a kid.
All told, we spent about two hours out there before returning to dry land, goofy-looking captain's hats on our heads and wobbly stomachs finally calmed. The boat, which fits up to eight people, goes for $750 a day, a little less than $100 a person — not cheap, exactly, but not bad for a day on the Hudson.nonadultCourtesy of my colleague and companion on the boat ride, Alex Kantrowitz.nonadultMayor De Blasio To Uber: "I Don't Debate With Private Corporations"http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/mayor-de-blasio-to-uber-i-dont-debate-with-private-corporati?utm_term=4ldqpia
Asked if he’ll publicly debate the rationale for his proposed growth cap on for-hire car companies with Uber’s leadership, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said no way.

Spencer Platt / Getty Images

This morning Uber NY General Manager Josh Mohrer sent an open letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio inviting him to a public, live-streamed conversation to discuss his proposal to cap the number of drivers of Ubers and other for-hire cars in New York City.

"When your proposal to cap Uber was introduced, your administration said it was about congestion," the letter reads. "The op-ed you wrote in the New York Daily News this weekend was about everything but congestion. If you have new concerns, we want to discuss them, face-to-face, and invite you to do so in a live-streamed conversation so all New Yorkers can watch."

"While most businesses recognize the role of the city to set basic standards and look out for the broader public interest, Uber — a $40 billion corporation — is out with multi-million dollar ads trying to convince New Yorkers that it doesn't need more oversight," de Blasio wrote. "In Uber's home state of California, a court just recommended that the company be suspended and fined $7.3 million for failing to share data with the state, as required by law, to ensure they are not discriminating against passengers."

"When you consider what's at stake — from ensuring workers can make a decent living, to managing the surge of more than 2,000 new cars on our streets every month, to protecting consumers from overcharges, to making sure we have more accessible vehicles for New Yorkers with disabilities — it's our responsibility to act," he continued.

"Let's be clear – Uber is a multibillion-dollar corporation, and they're acting like one," he said in response to a reporter's question. "They're looking out for their corporate bottom line. They're putting their profits over all other considerations. What we're talking about here is a temporary reduction in their growth."

According to de Blasio, it's not uncommon for a company in the private sector to buck regulation.

"Now, I know there's a lot of people in the private sector who'd like to have no government regulation whatsoever, but that' s always proven to be a huge mistake," de Blasio explained. "We've seen that happen over the years — we've seen the devastating negative impact. But, no, I do not debate with the heads of private companies over their own self-interest."

And, commenting on Mohrer's remarks about congestion, de Blasio said it's just one issue among many. "It starts with congestion," he said. "But I fundamentally believe those other issues are very real as well. And I think we're going to have come to grips with this in terms of some of the changes in our economy. There's been some very good reporting lately on what's happening now as result of technological change – the rights of consumers are now in doubt, the rights of workers are in doubt. There's all sorts of unintended consequences here. And government regulation hasn't caught up with the reality. So I think it's important that we do so."

Uber isn't rescinding it's invitation to an open debate, a company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "If the Mayor believes his arguments, there shouldn't be anything wrong with discussing them in front of New Yorkers. It's a standing offer and we hope he changes his mind."

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/mayor-de-blasio-to-uber-i-dont-debate-with-private-corporatiMon, 20 Jul 2015 13:30:30 -0400Asked if he'll publicly debate the rationale for his proposed growth cap on for-hire car companies with Uber's leadership, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said no way.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultThis morning Uber NY General Manager Josh Mohrer sent an open letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio inviting him to a public, live-streamed conversation to discuss his proposal to cap the number of drivers of Ubers and other for-hire cars in New York City.
"When your proposal to cap Uber was introduced, your administration said it was about congestion," the letter reads. "The op-ed you wrote in the New York Daily News this weekend was about everything but congestion. If you have new concerns, we want to discuss them, face-to-face, and invite you to do so in a live-streamed conversation so all New Yorkers can watch."
In the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/bill-de-blasio-fair-ride-new-yorkers-article-1.2296041"><i>New York Daily News</i> op-ed to which Mohrer referred</a>, de Blasio cited the company's many regulatory battles not just in New York, but in California and London as well.
"While most businesses recognize the role of the city to set basic standards and look out for the broader public interest, Uber — a $40 billion corporation — is out with multi-million dollar ads trying to convince New Yorkers that it doesn't need more oversight," de Blasio wrote. "In Uber's home state of California, a court just recommended that the company be suspended and fined $7.3 million for failing to share data with the state, as required by law, to ensure they are not discriminating against passengers."
"When you consider what's at stake — from ensuring workers can make a decent living, to managing the surge of more than 2,000 new cars on our streets every month, to protecting consumers from overcharges, to making sure we have more accessible vehicles for New Yorkers with disabilities — it's our responsibility to act," he continued.
During a Monday morning press conference, Mayor de Blasio was asked whether he'd accept Mohrer's invitation. His answer? "I don't debate with private corporations."
"Let's be clear – Uber is a multibillion-dollar corporation, and they're acting like one," he said in response to a reporter's question. "They're looking out for their corporate bottom line. They're putting their profits over all other considerations. What we're talking about here is a temporary reduction in their growth."
According to de Blasio, it's not uncommon for a company in the private sector to buck regulation.
"Now, I know there's a lot of people in the private sector who'd like to have no government regulation whatsoever, but that' s always proven to be a huge mistake," de Blasio explained. "We've seen that happen over the years — we've seen the devastating negative impact. But, no, I do not debate with the heads of private companies over their own self-interest."
And, commenting on Mohrer's remarks about congestion, de Blasio said it's just one issue among many. "It starts with congestion," he said. "But I fundamentally believe those other issues are very real as well. And I think we're going to have come to grips with this in terms of some of the changes in our economy. There's been some very good reporting lately on what's happening now as result of technological change – the rights of consumers are now in doubt, the rights of workers are in doubt. There's all sorts of unintended consequences here. And government regulation hasn't caught up with the reality. So I think it's important that we do so."
Uber isn't rescinding it's invitation to an open debate, a company spokesperson told BuzzFeed News. "If the Mayor believes his arguments, there shouldn't be anything wrong with discussing them in front of New Yorkers. It's a standing offer and we hope he changes his mind."nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultUpdated with Uber comment.nonadultUber's "De Blasio" Option Urges New Yorkers To Fight Proposed Caphttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-de-blasio-option-urgers-new-yorkers-to-fight-proposed?utm_term=4ldqpia
An new Uber feature shows riders what it would look like if the proposed cap on all for-hire vehicle companies is passed. Spoiler alert: Wait times will be up to 25 minutes.

BuzzFeed News

Uber's New York operations are being threatened. Working with City Hall, Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration have proposed a cap on growth of all for-hire vehicle companies during a study of traffic patterns, congestion, and air quality in New York City. And Uber is not happy about it.

After rolling out a slew of anti–de Blasio TV spots and banner ads, Uber today began appealing directly to its user base via a new Uber app feature affectionately dubbed "the de Blasio option." That feature, offered alongside the company's traditional UberX, UberPool, and UberBlack options, demonstrates what an Uber ride might look like were de Blasio's rule to be passed.

Select the "de Blasio option" in Uber and you'll see "set pickup location" replaced by a 25-minute wait time and an ominous click bar reading "see what happens." Clicking on that directs riders to Uber's petition to the mayor.

"Mayor de Blasio's plan to stop Uber will cost 10,000 jobs, hurt underserved areas and make wait times for Uber cars skyrocket," chief adviser for Uber David Plouffe told BuzzFeed in an emailed statement. "With this view, New York City riders can see for themselves how much time this political payback to big taxi owners will cost them."

As BuzzFeed News reported, though Uber has 26,000 current active drivers, the company sees 25,000 new users on a weekly basis just in New York — the largest and one of the most crucial markets for the company. A freeze on growth, which as proposed would limit Uber to just 201 more drivers over the next year, would be a significant blow to the company's business model. Wait times, as the de Blasio feature illustrated, would greatly increase, while outer-borough service would falter. And for a company that stakes its reputation on efficiency, that is most certainly a death sentence.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-de-blasio-option-urgers-new-yorkers-to-fight-proposedThu, 16 Jul 2015 14:59:22 -0400An new Uber feature shows riders what it would look like if the proposed cap on all for-hire vehicle companies is passed. Spoiler alert: Wait times will be up to 25 minutes.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber's New York operations are being threatened. Working with City Hall, Mayor Bill de Blasio and his administration have proposed a cap on growth of all for-hire vehicle companies during a study of traffic patterns, congestion, and air quality in New York City. And Uber is not happy about it.
After rolling out a slew of <a href="http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/city-hall/2015/07/8572121/uber-ad-campaign-targets-de-blasio">anti–de Blasio TV spots</a> and banner ads, Uber today began appealing directly to its user base via a new Uber app feature affectionately dubbed "the de Blasio option." That feature, offered alongside the company's traditional UberX, UberPool, and UberBlack options, demonstrates what an Uber ride might look like were de Blasio's rule to be passed.
Select the "de Blasio option" in Uber and you'll see "set pickup location" replaced by a 25-minute wait time and an ominous click bar reading "see what happens." Clicking on that directs riders to Uber's petition to the mayor.
"Mayor de Blasio's plan to stop Uber will cost 10,000 jobs, hurt underserved areas and make wait times for Uber cars skyrocket," chief adviser for Uber David Plouffe told BuzzFeed in an emailed statement. "With this view, New York City riders can see for themselves how much time this political payback to big taxi owners will cost them."
As <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/a-new-for-hire-vehicle-cap-in-new-york-could-devastate-uber#.yePVVqGy9">BuzzFeed News reported</a>, though Uber has 26,000 current active drivers, the company sees 25,000 new users on a weekly basis just in New York — the largest and one of the most crucial markets for the company. A freeze on growth, which as proposed would limit Uber to just 201 more drivers over the next year, would be a significant blow to the company's business model. Wait times, as the de Blasio feature illustrated, would greatly increase, while outer-borough service would falter. And for a company that stakes its reputation on efficiency, that is most certainly a death sentence.nonadultnonadultnonadultBusiness Travelers Use Uber Far More Than They Use Taxishttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-beats-taxis-in-us-business-travel?utm_term=4ldqpia
Expense management company Certify analyzed 8 million travel receipts and found Uber accounted for 55% of all business travel ground transportation, while taxis accounted for 43%.

Certify

Uber has officially surpassed the taxi as the ground transportation of choice for business travelers, at least according to new data from expense management company Certify.

According to Certify's review of 8 million travel receipts expensed between April and June 2015, Uber made up 55% of all ground transportation expenses. Meanwhile, taxi rides accounted for 43%. That's a significant shift in market power. As BuzzFeed News previously reported, in March taxis accounted for 52% of all ground transportation expenses submitted to Certify, while Uber accounted for 47%.

Uber's growth appears to be coming not just at the expense of the taxi industry, but of the rental car industry as well. According to Certify's research, Uber is also becoming a favored business travel alternative to the rental car. Between the second quarter of 2014 and the second quarter of 2015, Uber's share of ground transportation expenses rose to 31% from 8%. Meanwhile, the car rental industry's declined to 45% from 55%.

Certify

And how does Lyft fare in Certify's new data? It accounted for only 1% of travel expenses, though its services were on average cheaper than those of its rivals. Lyft also saw incredible gains in big cities like Chicago and San Francisco and was rated higher than Uber, car rentals, and taxis in terms of quality of service.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-beats-taxis-in-us-business-travelThu, 16 Jul 2015 00:00:26 -0400Expense management company Certify analyzed 8 million travel receipts and found Uber accounted for 55% of all business travel ground transportation, while taxis accounted for 43%.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber has officially surpassed the taxi as the ground transportation of choice for business travelers, at least according to new data from expense management company <a href="http://www.certify.com">Certify</a>.
According to Certify's review of 8 million travel receipts expensed between April and June 2015, Uber made up 55% of all ground transportation expenses. Meanwhile, taxi rides accounted for 43%. That's a significant shift in market power. As BuzzFeed News <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/lots-of-ubers#.xbLv3x12b">previously reported</a>, in March taxis accounted for 52% of all ground transportation expenses submitted to Certify, while Uber accounted for 47%.
Uber's growth appears to be coming not just at the expense of the taxi industry, but of the rental car industry as well. According to Certify's research, Uber is also becoming a favored business travel alternative to the rental car. Between the second quarter of 2014 and the second quarter of 2015, Uber's share of ground transportation expenses rose to 31% from 8%. Meanwhile, the car rental industry's declined to 45% from 55%.nonadultnonadultAnd how does Lyft fare in Certify's new data? It accounted for only 1% of travel expenses, though its services were on average cheaper than those of its rivals. Lyft also saw incredible gains in big cities like Chicago and San Francisco and was rated higher than Uber, car rentals, and taxis in terms of quality of service.nonadultnonadultnonadultVictory in the business travel ground transportation market does not imply ride-hail market supremacy. That said, it is a good indicator of who currently has the upper hand in a crucial sector in which Uber and Lyft both spent a lot of time and money promoting their services like "Lyft for Work" and "Uber for Business."nonadultA New Law Could Cripple Uber In Its Largest Markethttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/a-new-for-hire-vehicle-cap-in-new-york-could-devastate-uber?utm_term=4ldqpia
And the data the city is using to support the freeze on growth may be flawed.

MLADEN ANTONOV / Getty Images

Here are some facts: New York City traffic is notoriously bad. More cars mean more carbon emissions, which is bad for the climate. And finally, New York City is the largest market for Uber in the United States.

The city has taken those facts to mean that Uber and companies like it may be the cause of slower traffic speeds and increasing congestion over the last few years.

To that end, the city council and Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration have proposed a yearlong freeze on growth of all for-hire vehicle companies while the city conducts a study of traffic patterns, congestion, and air quality. In Uber's case, the cap would limit the ride-hail giant to just 201 new drivers for the year.

And this could very well cripple Uber, perhaps permanently, in one of its crucial markets.

Uber has 26,000 active drivers and 18,000 registered vehicles in New York alone (that means New York City makes up about 16% of the ride-hail giant's American driver force). That's a lot of cars, so a yearlong cap on growth may not seem like a death sentence.

But consider that Uber sees 25,000 new users every week in New York. If demand continues at this rate and the supply of rides stays more or less stagnant, the time riders spend waiting for their Uber driver — especially in the outer boroughs — will certainly increase.

In 2014, wait times in Manhattan were only 2 minutes and 25 seconds, while in the outer boroughs they were 3 minutes and 8 seconds. With the cap, however, it's likely that outer borough service will falter as most drivers will flood Manhattan to meet the exploding demand. And for a company that has staked its reputation on getting you a ride — fast — longer wait times are a very, very bad thing. Uber's worst-case scenario in New York City is that formerly loyal riders will grow frustrated with this and turn to a faster alternative.

With the rapid growth of Uber and similar services, it makes sense that the city would want to freeze growth in order to effectively analyze traffic congestion. "With an anticipated 2,000 additional vehicles coming online each month, it's not a great stretch of logic to say that hitting a temporary pause button prevents a lot of skewed results," TLC spokesperson Allan Fromberg told BuzzFeed News.

Data from a 2014 report showing traffic speeds between 2007 and 2013 based on TLC data.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/a-new-for-hire-vehicle-cap-in-new-york-could-devastate-uberFri, 10 Jul 2015 17:21:55 -0400And the data the city is using to support the freeze on growth may be flawed.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultHere are some facts: New York City traffic is notoriously bad. More cars mean more carbon emissions, which is bad for the climate. And finally, New York City is the largest market for Uber in the United States.
The city has taken those facts to mean that Uber and companies like it may be the cause of slower traffic speeds and increasing congestion over the last few years.
To that end, the city council and Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration have proposed a yearlong freeze on growth of all for-hire vehicle companies while the city conducts a study of traffic patterns, congestion, and air quality. In Uber's case, the cap would limit the ride-hail giant to just 201 new drivers for the year.
And this could very well cripple Uber, perhaps permanently, in one of its crucial markets.
Uber has 26,000 active drivers and 18,000 registered vehicles in New York alone (that means New York City makes up about 16% of the ride-hail giant's American driver force). That's a lot of cars, so a yearlong cap on growth may not seem like a death sentence.
But consider that Uber sees 25,000 new users every week in New York. If demand continues at this rate and the supply of rides stays more or less stagnant, the time riders spend waiting for their Uber driver — especially in the outer boroughs — will certainly increase.
In <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/exclusive-heres-how-long-it-takes-get-uber-across-us-cities-289133">2014,</a> wait times in Manhattan were only 2 minutes and 25 seconds, while in the outer boroughs they were 3 minutes and 8 seconds. With the cap, however, it's likely that outer borough service will falter as most drivers will flood Manhattan to meet the exploding demand. And for a company that has staked its reputation on getting you a ride — fast — longer wait times are a very, very bad thing. Uber's worst-case scenario in New York City is that formerly loyal riders will grow frustrated with this and turn to a faster alternative.
With the rapid growth of Uber and similar services, it makes sense that the city would want to freeze growth in order to effectively analyze traffic congestion. "With an anticipated 2,000 additional vehicles coming online each month, it's not a great stretch of logic to say that hitting a temporary pause button prevents a lot of skewed results," TLC spokesperson Allan Fromberg told BuzzFeed News.nonadultData from a 2014 report showing traffic speeds between 2007 and 2013 based on TLC data.nonadultInformation provided by City Hall based on Department of Transportation data.nonadultAccording to a PowerPoint provided by City Hall, there are currently 63,000 for-hire vehicles — 63% more than there were in 2011 — and 13,587 taxis on the road in New York. And according to that same PowerPoint, average traffic speeds in Manhattan went from 9.35 mph to 8.51 mph between 2010 and 2014, based on data from the Department of Transportation.
However, TLC <a href="http://www.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/2014-09-03-bicycle-path-data-analysis.pdf">data published last year</a>, which is broken into two to three month increments, paints a slightly different picture. According to that data, speeds in Manhattan ranged from 8 mph to just under 9 mph in 2007 and 2008. And also according to the data, average speeds went back down to under 9 mph between April and December of 2013.
That's to say that traffic speeds in Manhattan seem to vary by about a mile — and have been doing so since 2007. Though traffic did decrease in 2014, perhaps this was a return to the city's norm of 2007, rather than a clear linear downward pattern.
"The de Blasio administration is pushing a policy to cap Uber that is contradicted by their own data," Uber spokesperson Matt Wing told BuzzFeed News. "Given this information was conveniently left out of the city's proposal, can anyone honestly still say their motivation is solving congestion?"
But the deBlasio administration contends there is a difference between weighted data over an entire year versus incremental data. It also contends that even a 1 mph decrease year over year is indicative of substantial congestion given the sample size of 24 million rides.
"Speeds last year were the slowest since the city began measuring taxi GPS data, and coincided — paradoxically — with a drop in vehicles entering the Manhattan core," de Blasio administration's Deputy Press Secretary Wiley Norvell told BuzzFeed News. "These two contradictory phenomena, coupled with the unprecedented increase in for-hire vehicles, is what is driving our belief that a thorough analysis is needed here. The functioning of our transportation system is a vital priority for us as a matter of public policy. We are ensuring that during the evaluation period there will continue to be more and better for-hire service than at any time in our history, with modest growth continuing to serve New Yorkers."
Uber does have other options, however. If the cap passes, the company can promote its service to existing black car drivers who already have TLC licenses and vehicles. Whether that will either be necessary or enough is yet to be seen.nonadultUber Fights Back Against Class Action Lawsuithttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-to-judge-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-typical-driver?utm_term=4ldqpia
Uber filed a motion to oppose the class certification of a suit brought against the company by three drivers who allege they were misclassified as independent contractors.

Bryan Bedder / Getty Images

Uber's battle for the right to not officially employ its drivers continues.

On Thursday, the ride-hail company filed a motion to oppose the class certification of a suit brought against it by three drivers who believe they should be classified as employees, not independent contractors. Uber's argument: There is no such thing as a typical driver, and that makes it virtually impossible for these three drivers to represent the 160,000 others across the country.

Uber's latest motion in the case includes declarations from 400 drivers explaining why they either don't view themselves as employees or prefer to be classified as independent contractors. And it's intended not just to debunk arguments made by the plaintiffs earlier this year, but to prevent other drivers from joining the suit and ask that the court treat the three drivers' cases individually.

"... Plaintiffs themselves are woefully inadequate and atypical class representatives under Rule 23(a)," Uber's motion reads. "For example, one of the named Plaintiffs admits to having defrauded Uber out of more than $25,000. Moreover, Plaintiffs are taking positions directly contrary to the desires of many of the very people they claim to represent -- who do not want to be employees and view Uber as having liberated them from traditional employment."

The many declarations included in the motion all support that argument. Indeed, some drivers cited in the motion say they would quit if Uber were to classify them as employees.

"I wouldn't even want to be an Uber employee," said L.A. Uber driver Christopher Martinez. "I would quit if they tried to make me an employee, because I value my freedom as an independent contractor too much, I don't want Uber to tell me when or where I have to drive, and I think I would probably make less money as an employee than I can make as an independent contractor."

Shannon Liss-Riordan, attorney for the plaintiffs in the case, said Uber's claim that her clients aren't good class representatives is an argument she's heard before. "Courts routinely certify these claims as class actions, as it would make no sense for the determination of who is an employee and who is an independent contractor to be determined on a case-by-case basis," Liss-Riordan told BuzzFeed News. "This is an argument we always hear from defendants trying to avoid class-wide liability. We have obtained class certification on these claims in numerous cases. We will need class certification in order to obtain damages for drivers efficiently in one proceeding. Otherwise, we will have to file individual claims, which makes little sense. But in the event we have to do that (for instance, if the arbitration clause is ultimately upheld), we are prepared to represent any drivers who want to press these claims. More than 1,000 have already contacted us."

Also included in Uber's motion is testimony from University of California, Berkeley, economist Justin McCrary, Ph.D., who argues that Uber drivers have diverse backgrounds and diverse alternative work options: "Some drivers 'moonlight' as drivers, accepting Uber app ride referrals when convenient for them, and yet work a full-time job as the employee of an employer; indeed, some of these drivers have employment contracts that disallow them from being the employee of any other employer," he said. "Other drivers accept referrals from the Uber app when convenient for them and work one or more freelance jobs, such as a property manager, realtor, or graphic designer. Yet other drivers have no employer and only rarely accept referrals from the Uber app."

However, as the plaintiffs argue in their testimony, Uber drivers' freedom to accept rides as frequently as they want to is limited by a minimum acceptance rate that in some markets is as high as 90% of all ride requests. McCrary further testifies that Uber does not exert uniform control over drivers. But as BuzzFeed News reported, in many markets, like New York and Los Angeles, the company funnels its drivers to training classes that use Uber educational material to teach drivers how to be "five-star drivers."

The motion to oppose class certification will be heard by Judge Chen on Aug. 6.

Here are the documents Uber submitted as part of the motion:

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-to-judge-theres-no-such-thing-as-a-typical-driverThu, 09 Jul 2015 15:00:13 -0400Uber filed a motion to oppose the class certification of a suit brought against the company by three drivers who allege they were misclassified as independent contractors.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber's battle for the right to not officially employ its drivers continues.
On Thursday, the ride-hail company filed a motion to oppose the class certification of a suit brought against it by three drivers who believe they should be classified as employees, not independent contractors. Uber's argument: There is no such thing as a typical driver, and that makes it virtually impossible for these three drivers to represent the 160,000 others across the country.
In January, a trio of California drivers <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/suits-seek-to-force-lyft-and-uber-to-treat-drivers-as-employ#.ssYYYbnKj">sued Uber for misclassifying them as independent contractors</a>. In March, Judge Edward Chen denied Uber's motion for summary judgment in the case, and ruled that it be heard in front of a jury.
Uber's latest motion in the case includes declarations from 400 drivers explaining why they either don't view themselves as employees or prefer to be classified as independent contractors. And it's intended not just to debunk arguments made by the plaintiffs earlier this year, but to prevent other drivers from joining the suit and ask that the court treat the three drivers' cases individually.
"... Plaintiffs themselves are woefully inadequate and atypical class representatives under Rule 23(a)," Uber's motion reads. "For example, one of the named Plaintiffs admits to having defrauded Uber out of more than $25,000. Moreover, Plaintiffs are taking positions directly contrary to the desires of many of the very people they claim to represent -- who do not want to be employees and view Uber as having liberated them from traditional employment."
The many declarations included in the motion all support that argument. Indeed, some drivers cited in the motion say they would quit if Uber were to classify them as employees.
"I wouldn't even want to be an Uber employee," said L.A. Uber driver Christopher Martinez. "I would quit if they tried to make me an employee, because I value my freedom as an independent contractor too much, I don't want Uber to tell me when or where I have to drive, and I think I would probably make less money as an employee than I can make as an independent contractor."
Shannon Liss-Riordan, attorney for the plaintiffs in the case, said Uber's claim that her clients aren't good class representatives is an argument she's heard before. "Courts routinely certify these claims as class actions, as it would make no sense for the determination of who is an employee and who is an independent contractor to be determined on a case-by-case basis," Liss-Riordan told BuzzFeed News. "This is an argument we always hear from defendants trying to avoid class-wide liability. We have obtained class certification on these claims in numerous cases. We will need class certification in order to obtain damages for drivers efficiently in one proceeding. Otherwise, we will have to file individual claims, which makes little sense. But in the event we have to do that (for instance, if the arbitration clause is ultimately upheld), we are prepared to represent any drivers who want to press these claims. More than 1,000 have already contacted us."
Also included in Uber's motion is testimony from University of California, Berkeley, economist Justin McCrary, Ph.D., who argues that Uber drivers have diverse backgrounds and diverse alternative work options: "Some drivers 'moonlight' as drivers, accepting Uber app ride referrals when convenient for them, and yet work a full-time job as the employee of an employer; indeed, some of these drivers have employment contracts that disallow them from being the employee of any other employer," he said. "Other drivers accept referrals from the Uber app when convenient for them and work one or more freelance jobs, such as a property manager, realtor, or graphic designer. Yet other drivers have no employer and only rarely accept referrals from the Uber app."
However, as the plaintiffs argue in their testimony, Uber drivers' freedom to accept rides as frequently as they want to is limited by a minimum acceptance rate that in some markets is as high as 90% of all ride requests. McCrary further testifies that Uber does not exert uniform control over drivers. But as BuzzFeed News <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/why-is-uber-new-york-funneling-thousands-of-drivers-to-this#.lez33V1Jv">reported</a>, in many markets, like New York and Los Angeles, the company funnels its drivers to training classes that use Uber educational material to teach drivers how to be "five-star drivers."
The motion to oppose class certification will be heard by Judge Chen on Aug. 6.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultUber Downloads Rising In Indiahttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-downloads-rising-in-india?utm_term=4ldqpia
New data from mobile intelligence firm Quettra shows a significant month-over-month increase in Uber app downloads in India.

Uber has hit a couple of speed bumps on its path to world domination this summer. In Paris, UberPop — the equivalent of UberX — has been suspended by local authorities following a series of violent anti-Uber protests. In China, the company is facing taxi driver protests. And in Colombia, where Uber has been declared illegal, the company and its drivers are facing citations and fines for continuing to operate.

But there's a light at the end of what is shaping up to be the worst month ever for Uber's global operations: India.

Though Uber is still trailing far behind India's market-leading ride-hail service OlaCabs and its recently acquired counterpart TaxiForSure, the company saw a fairly significant uptick in app installs in the country between April and May. According to data from mobile intelligence firm Quettra, Uber downloads went from 2.01% of the market in April to 3.51% in May.

Karun Arya, Uber's head of communications in South Asia and India, attributes the increase in installs to a number of things. For one, there's increased awareness of the app in India thanks to a marketing push that Uber kicked off earlier this year.

"We announced a partnership in March towards our commitment to create jobs for 50,000 women as drivers on the Uber platform by 2020 and have partnered with iCare on this initiative," Arya told BuzzFeed News. "There have been regular promotions that have been done in the market related to referrals, special occasions, etc., which we've received an overwhelming response on as well."

Another potential contributor to Uber's increasing popularity in India: the country's most popular sport, cricket. "The massively popular IPL (Indian Premier League) was during those months," Arya said. "... Hundreds of thousands of people [were] going to stadiums and pubs to watch cricket matches, literally every day. We'd done some fantastic partnerships with some of the teams offering free rides to cricket fans ... to and from the stadiums."

And today, after eight months, the high court in Delhi has lifted its ban on the ride-hail service. The ban was instated in December 2014 after an Uber driver allegedly raped his passenger.

Uber is by no means conquering India's ride-share market; OlaCabs install penetration rose to 9.76% from 8.51% during the same period. That said, Uber's growth in what could be one of its largest potential markets is encouraging, particularly after the company's recent investments there. Weeks after tapping president of Rent.com Amit Jain to be the president of Uber India, the ride-hail company announced it is investing $50 million in Hyderabad to build its largest international headquarters over the next five years.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/uber-downloads-rising-in-indiaWed, 08 Jul 2015 14:18:17 -0400New data from mobile intelligence firm <a href="https://www.quettra.com/blog/may-2015-insights/">Quettra</a> shows a significant month-over-month increase in Uber app downloads in India.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber has hit a couple of speed bumps on its path to world domination this summer. In Paris, UberPop — the equivalent of UberX — has been suspended by local authorities following a series of violent <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/shyamanthaasokan/paris-taxi-drivers-are-burning-tires-and-overturning-cars-to#.snpwwY3NR">anti-Uber protests</a>. In China, the company is facing <a href="http://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/1833345/more-100-hong-kong-taxi-drivers-protest-uber-and-other-car-hailing">taxi driver protests</a>. And in <a href="http://www.noticiascaracol.com/colombia/superintendencia-de-transporte-sanciono-uber">Colombia</a>, where Uber has been declared illegal, the company and its drivers are facing citations and fines for continuing to operate.
But there's a light at the end of what is shaping up to be the worst month ever for Uber's global operations: India.
Though Uber is still trailing far behind India's market-leading ride-hail service OlaCabs and its recently acquired counterpart TaxiForSure, the company saw a fairly significant uptick in app installs in the country between April and May. According to <a href="https://www.quettra.com/blog/may-2015-insights/">data from mobile intelligence firm Quettra</a>, Uber downloads went from 2.01% of the market in April to 3.51% in May.
Karun Arya, Uber's head of communications in South Asia and India, attributes the increase in installs to a number of things. For one, there's increased awareness of the app in India thanks to a marketing push that Uber kicked off earlier this year.
"We announced a partnership in March towards our commitment to create jobs for 50,000 women as drivers on the Uber platform by 2020 and have partnered with iCare on this initiative," Arya told BuzzFeed News. "There have been regular promotions that have been done in the market related to referrals, special occasions, etc., which we've received an overwhelming response on as well."
Another potential contributor to Uber's increasing popularity in India: the country's most popular sport, cricket. "The massively popular IPL (Indian Premier League) was during those months," Arya said. "... Hundreds of thousands of people [were] going to stadiums and pubs to watch cricket matches, literally every day. We'd done some fantastic partnerships with some of the teams offering free rides to cricket fans ... to and from the stadiums."
And today, after eight months, the high court in Delhi has lifted its ban on the ride-hail service. The ban was instated in December 2014 after an Uber driver allegedly raped his passenger.
Uber is by no means conquering India's ride-share market; OlaCabs install penetration rose to 9.76% from 8.51% during the same period. That said, Uber's growth in what could be one of its largest potential markets is encouraging, particularly after the company's recent investments there. Weeks after tapping president of Rent.com Amit Jain to be the president of Uber India, the ride-hail company <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/business/Industry/uber-to-invest-50mn-in-hyderabad/article7392103.ece">announced</a> it is investing $50 million in Hyderabad to build its largest international headquarters over the next five years.nonadultWaze Is Testing A Car-Sharing Service In Israelhttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/waze-is-testing-a-car-sharing-service-in-israel?utm_term=4ldqpia
The Google-owned company has 97% monthly penetration among car owners in the country.

LIONEL BONAVENTURE / Getty Images

Google has finally thrown its hat in the increasingly competitive ride-sharing ring. On Monday, the company launched a new commuter carpooling service in Israel based on Waze, a navigation service Google acquired for about $1 billion in 2013.

Dubbed RideWith, the pilot project will use Waze's crowd-sourced navigation system to pair commuters looking for a ride to work with Waze-using drivers following a route that will get them there.

Envisioned as a means of defraying the costs of car maintenance for vehicle owners by tapping into the market for affordable transportation, RideWith is a service that has the potential to explode in Israel, where the cost of car ownership is high and Waze has an estimated 97% monthly penetration among car owners. Waze uses a rate determined by a company called Heshev, which calculates cost per mile driven during a commute for companies looking to reimburse their employees, and multiplies that by the miles driven during the trip.

While at first glance the service, which is only available to Android users for now, may seem akin to UberPool or Lyft Line, it is actually more similar to the lesser-known, U.S.-based service Ride, which was co-founded by Uber co-founder Oscar Salazar. Ride caters solely to commuters who often work at the same company and splits the cost of gas per mile among passengers.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/waze-is-testing-a-car-sharing-service-in-israelMon, 06 Jul 2015 14:04:58 -0400The Google-owned company has 97% monthly penetration among car owners in the country.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultGoogle has finally thrown its hat in the increasingly competitive ride-sharing ring. On Monday, the company launched a new commuter carpooling service in Israel based on Waze, a navigation service Google acquired for about $1 billion in 2013.
Dubbed <a href="https://www.waze.com/he/ridewith">RideWith</a>, the pilot project will use Waze's crowd-sourced navigation system to pair commuters looking for a ride to work with Waze-using drivers following a route that will get them there.
Envisioned as a means of defraying the costs of car maintenance for vehicle owners by tapping into the market for affordable transportation, RideWith is a service that has the potential to explode in Israel, where the cost of car ownership is high and Waze has an estimated 97% monthly penetration among car owners. Waze uses a rate determined by a company called Heshev, which calculates cost per mile driven during a commute for companies looking to reimburse their employees, and multiplies that by the miles driven during the trip.
While at first glance the service, which is only available to Android users for now, may seem akin to UberPool or Lyft Line, it is actually more similar to the lesser-known, U.S.-based service Ride, which was co-founded by Uber co-founder Oscar Salazar. Ride caters solely to commuters who often work at the same company and splits the cost of gas per mile among passengers.
The launch of Google's RideWith pilot comes as competition in the ride-hail space grows more heated. Just last week, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/29/uber-acquires-part-of-bings-mapping-assets-will-absorb-around-100-microsoft-employees/#.mc4dbr:kNNS">Uber acquired part of Microsoft's Bing mapping unit along with 100 of its engineers</a> as part of an effort to enhance its own mapping technology. Earlier this year, Uber also <a href="http://mashable.com/2015/03/03/uber-acquires-mapping-decarta/">acquired</a> mapping startup deCarta and made a bid for Nokia Here, although sources tell the <i><a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/06/29/uber-to-acquire-mapping-technology-and-know-how-from-microsoft/">New York Times</a></i> that the consortium of the big three German automakers, BMW, Mercedes, and Audi, are now the frontrunners for the acquisition.nonadultHow Do You Stay Motivated During Ramadan?http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/how-do-you-stay-motivated-during-ramadan?utm_term=4ldqpia
Fasting during Ramadan can be hard, but fasting during Ramadan in the summer…well.

Andddd it's not exactly getting easier.

The heat can be unrelenting.

And it can feel like iftar is always hours away.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/how-do-you-stay-motivated-during-ramadanWed, 01 Jul 2015 12:18:06 -0400Fasting during Ramadan can be hard, but fasting during Ramadan in the summer...well.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadult<b>Post your Ramadan motivational tips in the comments and your suggestion could be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed post!</b>nonadultnonadultUber's Biggest Chinese Competitor To Shareholders: We're Killing Ithttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-biggest-chinese-competitor-to-shareholders-were-killin?utm_term=4ldqpia
In a letter to shareholders, Didi Kuaidi said it controls 80% of the private car market and 99% of the taxi-hailing market in China.

STR / Getty Images

The battle for dominance in China's ride-hailing market is now a war of words as well. Weeks after Uber CEO Travis Kalanick penned a letter telling the company's investors its drivers are making close to 1 million trips every day in China, and it plans to pour $1 billion into the market to help them make even more, Didi Kuaidi — Uber's biggest competitor in the country — issued a similarly triumphant letter. Turns out Didi Kuaidi, which is in the midst of a major fundraising round, is also doing quite well in China — so well, that CEO Cheng Wei is considering extending its fundraising beyond $1.5 billion.

"In just five days, we were oversubscribed," Cheng Wei wrote to shareholders. "We may plan to upsize given the oversubscription."

Backed with existing funding from Chinese e-commerce and web giants AliBaba, Tencent, and Sina, Didi Kuaidi has seen considerable growth in ride volume. Private car requests have gone from 1 million to 3 million per day, and taxi requests are at 3 million. As it stands, according to Wei, Didi Kuaidi controls 80% of the private car market and 99% of the taxi-hailing market and is in 360 cities across China. Uber, which is backed by Chinese web giant Baidu, is only in 11 cities, and sees about 1 million ride requests per day.

"With advantages in scale and operational efficiency, we can provide more ride orders to drivers than competitors," Wei wrote. "Even in cities with fierce competition, our per ride subsidies is only one-fifth that of competitors."

And in a poke at Uber's strategy of wooing drivers in China with big bonuses, Wei said that Didi Kuaidi takes a more thoughtful approach to such incentives. "We offer promotions to encourage drivers' and users' behavior engagement and develop the market, but we are disciplined at the magnitude of subsidies," he wrote. "We have recognized that excessive subsidies such as two to three times the fare can encourage fraud and are detrimental to the market."

As BuzzFeed News reported, Didi Kuaidi plans to offer a robust transportation platform that extends beyond simply car-hailing. Already the company has launched its own designated driver service and a carpooling service called Hitch. It plans to offer a shuttle service as an offshoot of Hitch, as well.

"In one month before its launch, Hitch has attracted 1 million car owners to sign up," BuzzFeed News reported of the company's carpooling service launched in early June. "At its launching day in Beijing, we have seen 100,000 Hitch orders on daily basis. Hitch will be the first breakthrough in China's sharing economy, bringing happiness to the people who are willing to share."

Here are some screenshots of the letter obtained by BuzzFeed News:

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-biggest-chinese-competitor-to-shareholders-were-killinFri, 26 Jun 2015 15:34:43 -0400In a letter to shareholders, Didi Kuaidi said it controls 80% of the private car market and 99% of the taxi-hailing market in China.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultThe battle for dominance in China's ride-hailing market is now a war of words as well. Weeks after Uber CEO Travis Kalanick <a href="http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/e533bb8a-1081-11e5-b4dc-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3cp4C4CpE">penned a letter</a> telling the company's investors its drivers are making close to 1 million trips every day in China, and it plans to pour $1 billion into the market to help them make even more, Didi Kuaidi — Uber's biggest competitor in the country — issued a similarly triumphant letter. Turns out Didi Kuaidi, which is in the midst of a major fundraising round, is also doing quite well in China — so well, that CEO Cheng Wei is considering extending its fundraising beyond $1.5 billion.
"In just five days, we were oversubscribed," Cheng Wei wrote to shareholders. "We may plan to upsize given the oversubscription."
Backed with existing funding from Chinese e-commerce and web giants AliBaba, Tencent, and Sina, Didi Kuaidi has seen considerable growth in ride volume. Private car requests have gone from 1 million to 3 million per day, and taxi requests are at 3 million. As it stands, according to Wei, Didi Kuaidi controls 80% of the private car market and 99% of the taxi-hailing market and is in 360 cities across China. Uber, which is backed by Chinese web giant Baidu, is only in 11 cities, and sees about 1 million ride requests per day.
"With advantages in scale and operational efficiency, we can provide more ride orders to drivers than competitors," Wei wrote. "Even in cities with fierce competition, our per ride subsidies is only one-fifth that of competitors."
And in a poke at Uber's strategy of wooing drivers in China with big bonuses, Wei said that Didi Kuaidi takes a more thoughtful approach to such incentives. "We offer promotions to encourage drivers' and users' behavior engagement and develop the market, but we are disciplined at the magnitude of subsidies," he wrote. "We have recognized that excessive subsidies such as two to three times the fare can encourage fraud and are detrimental to the market."
As BuzzFeed News <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;ved=0CB4QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.buzzfeed.com%2Fjohanabhuiyan%2Fchinas-biggest-ride-hail-app-wants-to-be-an-all-around-trans&amp;ei=aZONVZG5I4LE-QHR84DwAw&amp;usg=AFQjCNHE9MC0gh4KXxFDQZm668HwvKDC-A&amp;bvm=bv.96782255,d.cWw">reported</a>, Didi Kuaidi plans to offer a robust transportation platform that extends beyond simply car-hailing. Already the company has launched its own <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/ubers-biggest-competitor-in-china-is-launching-a-designated#.qy7XXKaVj">designated driver service</a> and a carpooling service called Hitch. It plans to offer a shuttle service as an offshoot of Hitch, as well.
"In one month before its launch, Hitch has attracted 1 million car owners to sign up," BuzzFeed News reported of the company's carpooling service launched in early June. "At its launching day in Beijing, we have seen 100,000 Hitch orders on daily basis. Hitch will be the first breakthrough in China's sharing economy, bringing happiness to the people who are willing to share."nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultDidi Kuaidi confirmed today that it has raised $2 billion in funding from Capital International Private Equity Fund and Ping An Ventures, in addition to existing investors Alibaba, Tencent, Temasek and Coatue.
"Didi - Kuaidi plans to invest in building new services, data analytics and customer service," a spokesperson wrote to BuzzFeed News.nonadultNew Shuddle App Lets Kids Call A Car Themselveshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/new-shuddle-app-lets-kids-call-a-car-themselves?utm_term=4ldqpia
Shuddle, a ride-hail service for the children of busy parents, debuts an app that puts kids in control.

So much for that long-held parenting tenet "Don't get in cars with strangers." On Tuesday morning, Shuddle announced a new update to its ride-hailing service designed for children of busy parents: an app that lets kids as young as 7 to summon a car themselves.

Shuddle, created by former SideCar co-founder and CFO Nick Allen as a sort of Uber for minors, now has a companion app that lets the kids book the rides. Called ShuddleMe, the app lets any smartphone-equipped kid who doesn't need a booster seat schedule their own rides up to an hour ahead of time.

"We've actually had parents say that they went out and bought their kids a phone so they can use this service," Allen told BuzzFeed News. "That's how big a pain point shuttling kids is."

The ShuddleMe app is intended to empower kids to arrange their own rides while keeping parents in the loop — particularly during the summer when kids are out of school and often have shifting schedules. Every time a kid books a ride through ShuddleMe, parents are prompted to approve it via a connected Shuddle app. "The app is up to speed with all the functionality of [Shuddle]," Allen told BuzzFeed News. "Parents will get notifications when their kids are picked up and dropped off, and they can track the ride."

Entrusting anyone, much less complete strangers, with your children can be daunting. But Shuddle drivers, the majority of whom are female, undergo what Allen describes as as "an extensive" background check.

"We do checks through a number of databases using the Social Security numbers, address history, [and we can see] if there are any aliases," he said. "This allows for very localized reporting. A lot of minor offenses don't get reported to national databases; this way we can see things to the county level. Sometimes that means having a county clerk pull arrest records. We also do two reference checks to see if drivers have experience in a caregiver-type setting."

In addition to conducting in-person training and meeting each driver, Shuddle provides a password to both the driver and passenger that they share to ensure the children are in the right car. The company also uses its app to track whether drivers are speeding, breaking hard, or picking up their phone to text while on the job. As of right now, Shuddle employees perform these tasks manually. But with an eye toward expansion, the company is looking to automate some of them.

"We're making the monitoring system smarter," he said. "We'll always have people monitoring the ride, but more and more the software will be looking for things out of the ordinary, making it more scalable. Like is the car following a route that we prescribed? Is it going to arrive when we expect it to?"

Shuddle is currently available only in the Bay Area, though Allen told BuzzFeed News it hopes to expand in the next few months. The company, which raised $9.6 million in March, and charges users a $9 monthly fee, has "hundreds of drivers" according to Allen and is gaining some traction in the suburbs, which account for about two-thirds of its rides.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/new-shuddle-app-lets-kids-call-a-car-themselvesTue, 23 Jun 2015 09:00:49 -0400Shuddle, a ride-hail service for the children of busy parents, debuts an app that puts kids in control.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultSo much for that long-held parenting tenet "Don't get in cars with strangers." On Tuesday morning, Shuddle announced a new update to its ride-hailing service designed for children of busy parents: an app that lets kids as young as 7 to summon a car themselves.
Shuddle, created by former SideCar co-founder and CFO Nick Allen as a sort of Uber for minors, now has a companion app that lets the kids book the rides. Called ShuddleMe, the app lets any smartphone-equipped kid who doesn't need a booster seat schedule their own rides up to an hour ahead of time.
"We've actually had parents say that they went out and bought their kids a phone so they can use this service," Allen told BuzzFeed News. "That's how big a pain point shuttling kids is."
The ShuddleMe app is intended to empower kids to arrange their own rides while keeping parents in the loop — particularly during the summer when kids are out of school and often have shifting schedules. Every time a kid books a ride through ShuddleMe, parents are prompted to approve it via a connected Shuddle app. "The app is up to speed with all the functionality of [Shuddle]," Allen told BuzzFeed News. "Parents will get notifications when their kids are picked up and dropped off, and they can track the ride."
Entrusting anyone, much less complete strangers, with your children can be daunting. But Shuddle drivers, the majority of whom are female, undergo what Allen describes as as "an extensive" background check.
"We do checks through a number of databases using the Social Security numbers, address history, [and we can see] if there are any aliases," he said. "This allows for very localized reporting. A lot of minor offenses don't get reported to national databases; this way we can see things to the county level. Sometimes that means having a county clerk pull arrest records. We also do two reference checks to see if drivers have experience in a caregiver-type setting."
In addition to conducting in-person training and meeting each driver, Shuddle provides a password to both the driver and passenger that they share to ensure the children are in the right car. The company also uses its app to track whether drivers are speeding, breaking hard, or picking up their phone to text while on the job. As of right now, Shuddle employees perform these tasks manually. But with an eye toward expansion, the company is looking to automate some of them.
"We're making the monitoring system smarter," he said. "We'll always have people monitoring the ride, but more and more the software will be looking for things out of the ordinary, making it more scalable. Like is the car following a route that we prescribed? Is it going to arrive when we expect it to?"
Shuddle is currently available only in the Bay Area, though Allen told BuzzFeed News it hopes to expand in the next few months. The company, which raised $9.6 million <a href="http://www.siliconbeat.com/2015/03/18/shuddle-ride-hailing-app-for-kids-raises-9-6-million/">in March,</a> and charges users a $9 monthly fee, has "hundreds of drivers" according to Allen and is gaining some traction in the suburbs, which account for about two-thirds of its rides.nonadultUber’s Driverless Car Chief Not Worried About Taking Away Jobshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/lead-uber-robotics-engineer-im-not-worried-about-taking-away?utm_term=4ldqpia
Ethical dilemma solved!

Uber built its business by innovating in an industry that desperately needed it. But the engine of its tremendous success is the drivers that have flocked to its ride-hail platform en masse. At the company's last estimate in December that number was 170,000 — in the U.S. alone.

That's 170,000 drivers whose jobs might someday be at risk 20 to 30 years from now, now that Uber has kicked off an expected foray into autonomous vehicles. In a 2014 interview, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said driverless cars were the future. "If Uber doesn't go there, it's not going to exist either way," he said.

But if it does exist, there could be consequences — particularly for Uber drivers who depend on the company's platform for income. And that's an ethical dilemma the lead engineer of Uber's Advanced Technologies Center — which was created as part of a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University to develop autonomous systems — Raffi Krikorian often considers.

"One of the things that I do think about a lot when it comes to automation in general is that this takes away jobs from other people," the former VP of engineering at Twitter said in front of a crowd of about 30 and sprinkled with founders of homegrown Pittsburgh startups, city council members, and engineers last night. "That's one ethical question I sort of struggle with and think about a lot."

But having given it a great deal of thought, Krikorian said he is optimistic about the fate of the Uber driver should fully autonomous vehicles became commercially viable.

"I'm not worried about taking away jobs," he said. "I think, one, it hasn't played out in history that way at all. If we were to figure out a way to automate our way out of everything we would just figure out other things we would do with our time and be productive in that way. I can think of other technologies. We haven't solved education — that could be the next thing we focus on. There's a whole slew of ethics around automation in general. I think about all of these broadly, just to make sure I'm fine with the day-to-day work I'm doing."

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/lead-uber-robotics-engineer-im-not-worried-about-taking-awayThu, 18 Jun 2015 12:22:11 -0400Ethical dilemma solved!johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultUber built its business by innovating in an industry that desperately needed it. But the engine of its tremendous success is the drivers that have flocked to its ride-hail platform en masse. At the company's last estimate in December that number was <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/01/22/now-we-know-many-drivers-uber-has-and-how-much-money-theyre-making%E2%80%8B/">170,000</a> — in the U.S. alone.
That's 170,000 drivers whose jobs might someday be at risk 20 to 30 years from now, now that Uber has kicked off an expected foray into autonomous vehicles. In a 2014 interview, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick said driverless cars were the future. "If Uber doesn't go there, it's not going to exist either way," <a href="http://recode.net/2014/05/28/uber-ceo-self-driving-cars-are-the-future-drivers-are-not-2/">he said</a>.
But if it does exist, there could be consequences — particularly for Uber drivers who depend on the company's platform for income. And that's an ethical dilemma the lead engineer of Uber's Advanced Technologies Center — which was created as part of a <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;ved=0CCgQFjAB&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fis-uber-a-friend-or-foe-of-carnegie-mellon-in-robotics-1433084582&amp;ei=Ci2CVYTaLYqRsAWe35fgBA&amp;usg=AFQjCNG_AGs2nVES4ehgog6-Hc2ylBKqVA&amp;bvm=bv.96041959,d.b2w">partnership with Carnegie Mellon University</a> to develop autonomous systems — Raffi Krikorian often considers.
"One of the things that I do think about a lot when it comes to automation in general is that this takes away jobs from other people," the former VP of engineering at Twitter said in front of a crowd of about 30 and sprinkled with founders of homegrown Pittsburgh startups, city council members, and engineers last night. "That's one ethical question I sort of struggle with and think about a lot."
But having given it a great deal of thought, Krikorian said he is optimistic about the fate of the Uber driver should fully autonomous vehicles became commercially viable.
"I'm not worried about taking away jobs," he said. "I think, one, it hasn't played out in history that way at all. If we were to figure out a way to automate our way out of everything we would just figure out other things we would do with our time and be productive in that way. I can think of other technologies. We haven't solved education — that could be the next thing we focus on. There's a whole slew of ethics around automation in general. I think about all of these broadly, just to make sure I'm fine with the day-to-day work I'm doing."nonadultWhat California's Uber Employment Ruling Actually Meanshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/what-californias-uber-employment-ruling-actually-means?utm_term=4ldqpia
The California Labor Commission ruled that former Uber driver Barbara Berwick was an employee, not an independent contractor. Here’s what that means.

A ruling from the California Labor Commission made news today, causing a bit of confusion among those keeping a close eye on the on-demand space. The commission ruled that Barbara Berwick, serial litigator and former Uber driver, was an employee of the company, not an independent contractor as the company claimed. And it ordered Uber to reimburse her a little more than $4,000 in operating expenses. Berwick was an Uber driver for eight weeks in 2014.

Uber, as it did after a similar ruling in Florida, is appealing the Commission's decision. Should the appeal fail and the decision stand, it will certainly be a victory for Berwick. What's less clear is how much of a legal setback it might be for Uber and its efforts to classify the drivers that work for it as independent contractors.

Like the ruling in Florida, where the Department of Economic Opportunity decided former Uber driver Darrin McGillis was an employee of the company, this ruling only applies to one driver: Berwick. It has no automatic legal implications for any other driver or drivers -- even if they are currently involved in litigation regarding Uber and their employee classification.

The Commission's ruling is nonbinding and cannot be considered in future, similar cases by the California Labor Commission. "The Labor Commissioner's evaluation of whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee is done case-by-case based on the facts before her," Erika Monterroza, director of communications at the agency's division of industrial relations, said in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News.

So the Berwick finding isn't exactly a death knell for Uber and the bevy of other on-demand platforms being sued for worker misclassification. "The decision itself does not bring down the Uber business model. That's an overstatement," said Benjamin Sachs, co-founder of the blog OnLabor and professor of labor and industry at Harvard Law School.

But given that U.S. District Judges Edward Chen and Vince Chhabria have found in earlier cases against Uber and Lyft (respectively) that evidence of misclassification warranted a trial by jury, there's a sense that Uber could soon be facing a real problem. "This decision is part of and contributes to a legal trend in which multiple courts are finding facts that point in the direction of an ultimate conclusion that Uber employs its drivers," Sachs said. "It's looking more and more like Uber will be held to be an employer of its drivers."

Shannon Liss-Riordan, a Boston attorney pursuing the class action worker misclassification suit against Uber in California, concurred that the finding, though nonbinding, is good for her case. "Courts often give deference to administrative rulings, so I think this decision could have an important impact on our case. Though it addressed one driver in particular, the reasoning would extend to all drivers," Liss-Riordan told BuzzFeed News.

But not all Uber and ride-hail drivers want to be considered employees. As BuzzFeed News reported, the question of employee classification is debated even among drivers. A new study by SherpaShare found that 63% of on-demand workers — 86% of whom were Uber or Lyft drivers — viewed themselves as independent contractors, not employees.

The SherpaShare survey confirms some of the findings of a similar January survey of 601 Uber drivers conducted by a research firm hired by the company. According to that study, when asked whether they want a nine-to-five job with salary and benefits or a job with a flexible schedule, 73% of Uber drivers surveyed chose the latter.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/what-californias-uber-employment-ruling-actually-meansWed, 17 Jun 2015 20:26:24 -0400The California Labor Commission <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/california-labor-commission-rules-san-francisco-based-uber-d#.fpnzzwMXy">ruled</a> that former Uber driver Barbara Berwick was an employee, not an independent contractor. Here's what that means.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadult<a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/california-labor-commission-rules-san-francisco-based-uber-d#.xg80wlgqk">A ruling from the California Labor Commission</a> made news today, causing a bit of confusion among those keeping a close eye on the on-demand space. The commission ruled that Barbara Berwick, <a href="https://medium.com/ondemand/the-many-man-cases-of-the-woman-who-just-beat-uber-72785d9e07a8">serial litigator</a> and former Uber driver, was an employee of the company, not an independent contractor as the company claimed. And it ordered Uber to reimburse her a little more than $4,000 in operating expenses. Berwick was an Uber driver for eight weeks in 2014.
Uber, as it did after a similar <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/florida-agency-classifies-uber-driver-as-employee-says-he-is#.gwmmmZjKA">ruling in Florida</a>, is appealing the Commission's decision. Should the appeal fail and the decision stand, it will certainly be a victory for Berwick. What's less clear is how much of a legal setback it might be for Uber and its efforts to classify the drivers that work for it as independent contractors.
Like the ruling in Florida, where the Department of Economic Opportunity decided former Uber driver Darrin McGillis was an employee of the company, this ruling only applies to one driver: Berwick. It has no automatic legal implications for any other driver or drivers -- even if they are currently involved in litigation regarding Uber and their employee classification.
The Commission's ruling is nonbinding and cannot be considered in future, similar cases by the California Labor Commission. "The Labor Commissioner's evaluation of whether someone is an independent contractor or an employee is done case-by-case based on the facts before her," Erika Monterroza, director of communications at the agency's division of industrial relations, said in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News.
So the Berwick finding isn't exactly a death knell for Uber and the bevy of other on-demand platforms being sued for worker misclassification. "The decision itself does not bring down the Uber business model. That's an overstatement," said Benjamin Sachs, co-founder of the blog <a href="http://onlabor.org"><i>OnLabor</i></a> and professor of labor and industry at Harvard Law School.
But given that U.S. District Judges Edward Chen and Vince Chhabria have found in earlier cases against Uber and Lyft (respectively) that evidence of misclassification warranted a trial by jury, there's a sense that Uber could soon be facing a real problem. "This decision is part of and contributes to a legal trend in which multiple courts are finding facts that point in the direction of an ultimate conclusion that Uber employs its drivers," Sachs said. "It's looking more and more like Uber will be held to be an employer of its drivers."
Shannon Liss-Riordan, a Boston attorney pursuing the class action worker misclassification suit against Uber in California, concurred that the finding, though nonbinding, is good for her case. "Courts often give deference to administrative rulings, so I think this decision could have an important impact on our case. Though it addressed one driver in particular, the reasoning would extend to all drivers," Liss-Riordan told BuzzFeed News.
But not all Uber and ride-hail drivers want to be considered employees. As BuzzFeed News <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/survey-63-of-on-demand-workers-consider-themselves-independe#.tljVVow58">reported</a>, the question of employee classification is debated even among drivers. A new study by SherpaShare found that 63% of on-demand workers — 86% of whom were Uber or Lyft drivers — viewed themselves as independent contractors, not employees.
The SherpaShare survey confirms some of the findings of <a href="http://newsroom.uber.com/2015/01/in-the-drivers-seat-understanding-the-uber-partner-experience/">a similar January survey of 601 Uber drivers</a> conducted by a research firm hired by the company. According to that study, when asked whether they want a nine-to-five job with salary and benefits or a job with a flexible schedule, 73% of Uber drivers surveyed chose the latter.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultSurvey: 63% Of On-Demand Workers Consider Themselves Independent Contractorshttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/survey-63-of-on-demand-workers-consider-themselves-independe?utm_term=4ldqpia
86% of respondents worked for Uber or Lyft.

As the legal battle around on-demand worker classification picks up steam, a new study suggests that there's a debate over classification among workers themselves. According to a survey of 201 on-demand workers by on-demand analytics platform SherpaShare, 63% of respondents believe they are independent contractors, and interestingly 86% of them were Uber or Lyft drivers. Specifically, 69% of drivers who worked only for Uber and 72% of drivers who worked only for Lyft said they were independent contractors.

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/survey-63-of-on-demand-workers-consider-themselves-independeWed, 17 Jun 2015 14:57:47 -040086% of respondents worked for Uber or Lyft.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultnonadultThe on-demand economy is at a crossroads. Today, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/california-labor-commission-rules-san-francisco-based-uber-d#.slbYY6bWD">as BuzzFeed News reported</a>, the California Labor Commission ruled that a San Francisco Uber driver was an employee, not an independent contractor as the company claims. The commission's ruling comes just weeks after the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/florida-agency-classifies-uber-driver-as-employee-says-he-is#.gwmmmZjKA">determined that former Uber driver Darrin McGillis was also an employee</a> and months after <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/suits-seek-to-force-lyft-and-uber-to-treat-drivers-as-employ#.ehj22YnDa">two groups of Uber and Lyft drivers filed class action suits against the companies</a> alleging they had been misclassified as independent contractors.
As the legal battle around on-demand worker classification picks up steam, a new study suggests that there's a debate over classification among workers themselves. According to a survey of 201 on-demand workers by on-demand analytics platform <a href="http://sherpashare.com">SherpaShare</a>, 63% of respondents believe they are independent contractors, and interestingly 86% of them were Uber or Lyft drivers. Specifically, 69% of drivers who worked only for Uber and 72% of drivers who worked only for Lyft said they were independent contractors.nonadultnonadultnonadultSherpaShare's survey offers some early insight into on-demand employees' self-classification, particularly when taken together with the rationalizations driving those classifications. It's interesting, for example, that 12 survey respondents who classified themselves as employees of either Uber of Lyft cited "deactivation risks" and "lack of driver choice" to support their claims that they are not independent contractors. Said one who drives for Uber and Lyft, "Both companies use deactivation threats to control drivers."
Another worker who drives for Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar wrote, "I think if the rideshare companies didn't have things like acceptance rate, it would be easier to say we're independent. As it is, I don't feel like I can turn down a request without penalty, even if it's a pickup at a location that doesn't make sense (as the crow flies vs as the roads go) or from lower rated pax. There is also poor service to drivers when there is the rare (but it happens) issue of pax problems and/or pax rating you low out of retaliation (cause you won't do something illegal like let them drink booze or something bad for business like let them smoke)."
Still another that drives exclusively for Uber wrote, "With the guidelines and other specifications and requests Uber gives drivers, I feel like drivers are truly employees for the company. And as for the work schedule aspect of the debate, Uber does request quite frequently that drivers get on the road for events and high demand periods. Although drivers have the chance to say no or ignore these requests, saying no too often can result in deactivation, putting Uber in the position of an employer penalizing or firing their employee."
For respondents who identified themselves as independent contractors, "flexibility" and "freedom" were among the top reasons for selecting that classification. Said one who drives for Uber, "I drive when I want, for as long as I want. It's the perfect part time job." Another driver who contracts with Uber, Lyft, Sidecar, and Shuddle wrote, "No schedule, can take time off at any time, no assigned areas, I completely control my work environment (MY CAR!) It is really important for me to NOT be an employee! The people who say we should do not understand the nature of the industry."
Finally, seven respondents said they'd prefer a hybrid option between the two classifications — one that includes the flexibility of being an independent contractor and some basic protections afforded employees.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultCalifornia Labor Commission Rules San Francisco-Based Uber Driver Is An Employeehttp://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/california-labor-commission-rules-san-francisco-based-uber-d?utm_term=4ldqpia
The California Labor Commission has ruled that Barbara Ann Berwick is an employee, not an independent contractor.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Getty Images

The California Labor Commission ruled that San Francisco-based Uber driver Barbara Ann Berwick is an employee, not an independent contractor as the ride-hail service and its competitors would have it.

In response to a claim filed by Berwick, the California Labor Commission ruled that because "Uber is involved in every aspect of the operation," Berwick is not an independent contractor and is owed $4,000 in employee expenses. Uber is appealing the decision.

The ruling, which comes during a nationwide debate over whether drivers are employees or contractors, sets a precedent for the classification of drivers. In San Francisco, two individual groups of Lyft and Uber drivers have brought class-action suits against the companies claiming they are treated more as employees, not independent contractors free to perform their services as they see fit. In both cases judges denied Uber and Lyft's motion for summary judgment and ruled the cases will be heard in front of a jury.

In Florida, as BuzzFeed News reported, the Department of Economic Opportunity ruled that Uber driver Darrin McGillis was also an employee of the company.

An Uber spokesperson confirmed that the ruling only applies to a single driver and later cited a January study conducted by the company emphasizing that primary reason drivers choose Uber is for the flexibility of the platform.

"The California Labor Commission's ruling is non-binding and applies to a single driver," the spokesperson wrote in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News. "Indeed it is contrary to a previous ruling by the same commission, which concluded in 2012 that the driver 'performed services as an independent contractor, and not as a bona fide employee.' Five other states have also come to the same conclusion. It's important to remember that the number one reason drivers choose to use Uber is because they have complete flexibility and control. The majority of them can and do choose to earn their living from multiple sources, including other ride sharing companies."

"The reality, however, is that Defendants are involved in every aspect of the operation."

]]>http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/california-labor-commission-rules-san-francisco-based-uber-dWed, 17 Jun 2015 11:10:02 -0400The California Labor Commission has ruled that Barbara Ann Berwick is an employee, not an independent contractor.johanabhuiyannonadultnonadultThe California Labor Commission ruled that San Francisco-based Uber driver Barbara Ann Berwick is an employee, not an independent contractor as the ride-hail service and its competitors would have it.
In response to a claim filed by Berwick, the California Labor Commission ruled that because "Uber is involved in every aspect of the operation," Berwick is not an independent contractor and is owed $4,000 in employee expenses. Uber is appealing the decision.
The ruling, which comes during a nationwide debate over whether drivers are employees or contractors, sets a precedent for the classification of drivers. <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/suits-seek-to-force-lyft-and-uber-to-treat-drivers-as-employ#.ehj22YnDa">In San Francisco,</a> two individual groups of Lyft and Uber drivers have brought class-action suits against the companies claiming they are treated more as employees, not independent contractors free to perform their services as they see fit. In both cases judges denied Uber and Lyft's motion for summary judgment and ruled the cases will be heard in front of a jury.
In Florida, <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/johanabhuiyan/florida-agency-classifies-uber-driver-as-employee-says-he-is#.gwmmmZjKA">as BuzzFeed News reported</a>, the Department of Economic Opportunity ruled that Uber driver Darrin McGillis was also an employee of the company.
An Uber spokesperson confirmed that the ruling only applies to a single driver and later cited a <a href="http://newsroom.uber.com/2015/01/in-the-drivers-seat-understanding-the-uber-partner-experience/">January study</a> conducted by the company emphasizing that primary reason drivers choose Uber is for the flexibility of the platform.
"The California Labor Commission's ruling is non-binding and applies to a single driver," the spokesperson wrote in a statement provided to BuzzFeed News. "Indeed it is contrary to a previous ruling by the same commission, which concluded in 2012 that the driver 'performed services as an independent contractor, and not as a bona fide employee.' Five other states have also come to the same conclusion. It's important to remember that the number one reason drivers choose to use Uber is because they have complete flexibility and control. The majority of them can and do choose to earn their living from multiple sources, including other ride sharing companies."nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultnonadultUpdated with Uber statement.nonadultnonadultnonadultnonadult